Top baseball players alive

March 21, 2011 12:00 AM

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Atlanta Braves - Hank Aaron

To many, he's still the real Home Run King. On top of the 755 home runs, Aaron is first in runs batted in 2,292), third in hits (3,771) and won two batting titles, three Gold Gloves and one Most Valuable Player Award. In all, Aaron finished in the top five of the MVP voting eight times and the top 10 13 times. First runner-up: Greg Maddux. less

Atlanta Braves - Hank Aaron

To many, he's still the real Home Run King. On top of the 755 home runs, Aaron is first in runs batted in 2,292), third in hits (3,771) and won two batting titles, three Gold Gloves ... more

In Wednesday’s renowned lunchtime links, we posted a rare sit-down interview that Red Sox icon Carl Yastrzemski, right, gave to the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy, who makes the assertion that Yastrzemski is the “greatest living Red Sox player.” That prompted Craig Calcaterra of HardballTalk.com to pose the question: Who’s the greatest living player for each team? Good question. It’s a question so good, I, Steve Campell, am going to look for great answers. less

– Alex Rodriguez Ken Griffey Jr. (left), no doubt, is Mr. Mariner. And he was truly something to behold (630 home runs, 1,886 RBI, 10 Gold Gloves, one MVP). As as great as Griffey was, ARod has been even better (613 home runs and 1,831 RBI, three MVPs and still going). Griffey’s average stat line over his best 10 years: .302, 38 homers, 109 RBI, 100 runs scored. ARod’s average stat line over his best 10 years: .303, 45, 125, 122. And that 10-year run doesn’t even include him batting .358 and finishing second in the MVP voting when he turned 21. If ARod had stayed at shortstop, he could have usurped Honus Wagner as the greatest ever to play the position. less

Seattle Mariners – Alex Rodriguez

Ken Griffey Jr. (left), no doubt, is Mr. Mariner. And he was truly something to behold (630 home runs, 1,886 RBI, 10 Gold Gloves, one MVP). As as great as Griffey was, ... more

– Stan Musial Stan the Man was such a well-rounded offensive player, he led the league in batting seven times, on-base percentage six times and slugging six times. He batted .331 and ranks fourth in history in hits (3,630), sixth in RBI (1,951) and ninth in runs scored (1,949). And as hard as may be to fathom, Albert Pujols may one day pass him on merit. Through the age 30 season, Pujols ranks ninth in history in hits (1,900), fourth in homers (408), sixth in RBI (1,230), seventh in runs (1,186) and fifth in on-base-plus slugging (1.050). His OPS+, an adjusted figure in which 100 is the league is average, is 172 – exactly the same as Musial’s at the same age. less

St. Louis Cardinals – Stan Musial

Stan the Man was such a well-rounded offensive player, he led the league in batting seven times, on-base percentage six times and slugging six times. He batted .331 and ... more

– Evan Longoria The reflex answer is Carl Crawford, and it isn’t a bad one. On top of being the franchise leader in games (1,235), batting average (.296), runs (765), hits (1,480), total bases (2,217), RBI (592) and steals (409), Crawford has made four All-Star teams and won a Gold Glove. At 29, he cashed in a $142 million contract with the Red Sox. Longoria is only 25, and he’s already well on his way to dwarfing anything Crawford did that doesn’t involve speed. Longoria has been in the majors three seasons and has made three All-Star teams. He has two Gold Gloves and a Rookie of the Year award. His average season to this point: .283, 27 homers, 101 RBI, .881 OPS. Only four third basemen in history emerged from their age-24 season with more than 1,500 at-bats and a higher OPS+ than Longoria’s 134: Dick Allen, Eddie Mathews, Miguel Cabrera and David Wright. Crawford’s career-high OPS last season: 134. less

Tampa Bay Rays – Evan Longoria

The reflex answer is Carl Crawford, and it isn’t a bad one. On top of being the franchise leader in games (1,235), batting average (.296), runs (765), hits (1,480), ... more

– Pudge Rodriguez An array of players with Hall of Fame numbers have made their way through the organization, from Nolan Ryan to Gaylord Perry to Fergie Jenkins to Bert Blyleven; none of them called Arlington home long enough to qualify them as Rangers by any reasonable definition. The Rangers traded away Sammy Sosa before he had a chance to blossom, and Rafael Palmeiro’s Hall-of-Fame candidacy has some serious blemishes. Pudge has an open-and-shut Hall of Fame case: 14 All-Star selections, 13 Gold Gloves, one MVP and formidable hitting credentials by the standards of his position. During his best 10-year run, Pudge supplemented his great defense by averaging .316 with 21 homers, 33 doubles and 81 RBI. less

Texas Rangers – Pudge Rodriguez

An array of players with Hall of Fame numbers have made their way through the organization, from Nolan Ryan to Gaylord Perry to Fergie Jenkins to Bert Blyleven; none of ... more

– Roy Halladay Like the Rangers, the Blue Jays have had Hall-of-Fame-type talents pass through without setting roots: Roberto Alomar, Rickey Henderson, Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield. Fred McGriff broke into the majors as a Blue Jay but did most of his real bashing elsewhere. Based on time in Toronto, the franchise’s most productive position player has been Carlos Delgado. The franchise’s winningest pitcher, Dave Stieb, went 175-134 with a 3.42 pitching for mostly lousy teams. Stieb was good enough to make seven All-Star teams and finish in the top five of the Cy Young voting twice. Halladay is better. Halladay has a 169-86 record and 3.32 ERA and is coming off his second Cy Young Award. He has finished among the top five in the Cy Young voting five consecutive seasons, with no sign of letup. His 2010 adjusted ERA was the second-best of his career, and he had a strikeout-walk ratio of better than 7-1. less

Toronto Blue Jays – Roy Halladay

Like the Rangers, the Blue Jays have had Hall-of-Fame-type talents pass through without setting roots: Roberto Alomar, Rickey Henderson, Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield. Fred ... more

– Gary Carter (8) Tim Raines is one of the sabermetric crowd’s favorite Hall of Fame causes. Raines in his prime was the greatest leadoff hitter this side of Rickey Henderson, accumulating 2,605 hits, 808 stolen bases, 1,501 runs. He ranked among the top six in the league in on-base percentage seven times and had a career mark of .385. Raines backers might be shocked, then, to see that the sabermetric sword cuts Carter’s way. During Carter’s best 10-year run, his WAR was 58.0. During Raines’ best 10-year run, his WAR was 49.3. Carter was a top-flight defensive catcher (three Gold gloves) who was a productive middle-of-the-lineup hitter for more than a decade (324 home runs, 1,200 RBI for his career. less

Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos – Gary Carter (8)

Tim Raines is one of the sabermetric crowd’s favorite Hall of Fame causes. Raines in his prime was the greatest leadoff hitter this side of ... more

– Willie Mays One way to sum up his all-around game is that he led the league in homers four times and stolen bases four times and won 12 Gold Gloves. He’d have won more Gold Gloves, no doubt, but the award came into existence six years after his rookie season. Mays batted .302 and is fourth on the all-time home run list (660) and 10th in RBI (1,903). For those of a more sabermetric bent, Mays led his league in Wins Above Replacement 10 times. That’s more than Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Honus Wagner and anybody else you’d care to name short of Babe Ruth. less

San Francisco Giants – Willie Mays

One way to sum up his all-around game is that he led the league in homers four times and stolen bases four times and won 12 Gold Gloves. He’d have won more Gold ... more

While Johnson won more games as a Mariner (130) than as a Diamondback (118), he’s really the only choice. Curt Schilling wasn’t there long enough, and the other alternative is Luis Gonzalez. Those 118 victories Johnson had as a Diamondback came with only 62 defeats and a 2.83 earned run average and 2,077 strikeouts in 1,630 1/3 innings. Oh, and The Big Unit tag-teamed with Schilling to take down the Yankees in the 2001 World Series. less

Arizona Diamondbacks – Randy Johnson

While Johnson won more games as a Mariner (130) than as a Diamondback (118), he’s really the only choice. Curt Schilling wasn’t there long enough, and ... more

Yes, Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken Jr. were distinguished Orioles lifers and first-ballot Hall of Famers. But we’re talking about the greatest player, not the guy who should be Mr. Oriole. Ripken had The Streak, the two MVP awards, the 3,184 hits and 431 home runs. Brooks Robinson has a great case as the best defensive third baseman in history, and in his prime he generally was good for .270, 20 homers, 90 RBI. But Frank Robinson is on the short list of greatest all-around players in history: .294, 586 home runs (ninth in history), 1,812 RBI (20th), 1,829 runs (14th). And his six seasons with the Orioles were something to behold during a pitching-dominated era: .300, 179 home runs, 545 RBI, 555 runs scored, four World Series appearances, two World Series titles. Oh, and let’s not forget his Triple Crown season of 1966, when he led the Orioles to a World Series title: .316, 49 homers, 122 RBI. less

Baltimore Orioles – Frank Robinson

Yes, Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken Jr. were distinguished Orioles lifers and first-ballot Hall of Famers. But we’re talking about the greatest player, not the ... more

Yes, there’s the Mitchell Report and all the unpleasantness in front of Congress. Ultimately, though, Clemens belongs on any credible list of the 10 greatest pitchers in history: 354 wins (ninth), 4,672 strikeouts (third), seven Cy Young Awards, seven ERA titles, five strikeout titles. He was with the Red Sox long enough to win three Cy Youngs and share the franchise record for victories with none other than, ahem, Cy Young (192). Ultimately, a top-10 pitcher trumps Yastrzemski’s 3,419 hits, 452 home runs, 1,844 RBI and the 1967 “Impossible Dream” season of 1967. Strange game: Frank Robinson and Yaz won Triple Crowns in back-to-back seasons, and nobody has done it 43 seasons since. less

Boston Red Sox – Roger Clemens

Yes, there’s the Mitchell Report and all the unpleasantness in front of Congress. Ultimately, though, Clemens belongs on any credible list of the 10 greatest ... more

The temptation is to spit in the face of sentiment, to fall back on the fact that Greg Maddux – he of the 355 wins (eighth in history), 3.16 ERA and four Cy Youngs (in a row, no less) – got his start with the Cubs. We could squeeze in an all-time great pitcher on a technicality, perhaps, but Maddux’s 133 victories as a Cub don't even crack the top-10 of the franchise list. So we go with Mr. Cub, who bashed 512 home runs and drove in 1,636 while spending much of his career as a shortstop. less

Chicago Cubs – Ernie Banks

The temptation is to spit in the face of sentiment, to fall back on the fact that Greg Maddux – he of the 355 wins (eighth in history), 3.16 ERA and four Cy Youngs (in a ... more

If ever a player were born to be a designated hitter, it was Thomas. Destructive offensive force, and a menace to his own pitchers with the glove. Would Thomas have gotten the chance to amass 521 home runs (18th all time), 1,704 RBI (22nd), 1,667 walks (10th) if not for the DH rule? He started 969 games at first base, 1,310 at DH, during his career. less

Chicago White Sox – Frank Thomas

If ever a player were born to be a designated hitter, it was Thomas. Destructive offensive force, and a menace to his own pitchers with the glove. Would Thomas have ... more

Tough, tough debate, what with Pete Rose and Joe Morgan having compelling cases. Like Morgan, Bench won two MVP awards with the Reds. Unlike Rose, Bench doesn’t have any skeletons in the closed keeping him off the baseball eligibility list. Bench won 10 Gold Gloves and ranks second among all players who caught at least 1,000 games in home runs (389) and third in RBI (1,376). Add it all up, and you get the best all-around catcher in major league history. less

Cincinnati Reds – Johnny Bench

Tough, tough debate, what with Pete Rose and Joe Morgan having compelling cases. Like Morgan, Bench won two MVP awards with the Reds. Unlike Rose, Bench doesn’t have ... more

The recent death of Bob Feller turned this from a no-brainer into a head-scratcher. Albert Belle was a force from 1991-96, but his career fizzled before he got to 400 home runs because of injury. Manny Ramirez is one of the great pure right-handed hitters in history (.318, 586 homers, 1,830 RBI, 1,329 walks), but his bat is where is contributions begin and end. I don’t see Wins Above Replacement as the all-seeing, all-knowing number that some in the statistical community do, but it’s worth pointing out that Thome has a higher career number on this front (70.3) than Ramirez (67.5). Thome may not have the Manny-esque average (.278) and is strikeout-prone (2,395, second most in history), but he is a producer. On top of 589 home runs (eighth) and 1,624 RBI (30th), Thome has 1,679 walks (ninth). less

Cleveland Indians – Jim Thome

The recent death of Bob Feller turned this from a no-brainer into a head-scratcher. Albert Belle was a force from 1991-96, but his career fizzled before he got to 400 home ... more

If you want to identify Mr. Rockies, then Todd Helton is your man. Helton is a .324 hitter with 333 homers and 1,239 RBI – with all 1,930 of his games coming with the Rockies. But anything Helton can do, Walker could do just a little better. Helton has three Gold Gloves, Walker five. Helton has a top-five finish in the MVP voting. Walker has an MVP award. While with the Rockies, Walker topped Helton in batting average (.334), on-base percentage (.426 to .424) and slugging (.618 to .555). And unlike Helton, Walker has proved he could put up elite numbers without having Coors Field inflate his stats. less

Colorado Rockies – Larry Walker

If you want to identify Mr. Rockies, then Todd Helton is your man. Helton is a .324 hitter with 333 homers and 1,239 RBI – with all 1,930 of his games coming with ... more

– Al Kaline Easy call. At age 20, Kaline batted .340 with 27 homers and 102 RBI. He never had a season quite like that again, but he gave the Tigers All-Star play year after year. Wound up with 3,007 hits, 399 home runs, 1,583 RBI and 10 Gold Gloves. less

Detroit Tigers – Al Kaline

Easy call. At age 20, Kaline batted .340 with 27 homers and 102 RBI. He never had a season quite like that again, but he gave the Tigers All-Star play year after year. Wound up ... more

– Hanley Ramirez It says a lot about the come-and-go-nature of talent they’ve procured that by far their most productive player is 27 and has only 3,370 plate appearances. It says also says a lot for the talents of Ramirez that he stacks up well with Miguel Cabrera in a similar number of plate appearances (3,072). Ramirez already three All-Star appearances and three top-11 finishes in the MVP voting (runner-up in 2009). As a shortstop, his average stat line over his five full seasons with the Marlins: .313, 25 homers, 78 RBI, 115 runs scored, 39 steals. less

Florida Marlins – Hanley Ramirez

It says a lot about the come-and-go-nature of talent they’ve procured that by far their most productive player is 27 and has only 3,370 plate appearances. It says ... more

– Joe Morgan If you want make this a Greatest Astro debate, then Jeff Bagwell vs. Craig Biggio is a good one. Ultimately, Morgan is higher on baseball's food chain of greatness than Bagwell and Biggio. Morgan’s greatest success came as the player who took Cincinnati's Big Red Machine into another gear, but it’s not as if he were an Astro who passed through the night. Before the wrong-headed trade that sent Morgan to the Reds, he’d played 891 games and made two All-Star teams as an Astro. The Astros also had Jimmy Wynn, Doug Rader, Cesar Cedeno and Bob Watson in place, creating one of those great what-if? scenarios. What if Morgan had stayed? Would his career have taken off the same way if he’d stayed, or did he need the change in scenery? Could the Astros have built something special if they hadn’t broken up that nucleus? As it was, Morgan won a couple of MVP awards and five Gold Gloves in Cincinnati, building a resume that makes him the best second baseman this side of Eddie Collins and Rogers Hornsby. less

Houston Astros – Joe Morgan

If you want make this a Greatest Astro debate, then Jeff Bagwell vs. Craig Biggio is a good one. Ultimately, Morgan is higher on baseball's food chain of greatness than ... more

– George Brett An even easier call than Al Kaline with the Tigers. Brett, left, was such a pure, professional hitter who had a .305 career average, three batting titles and 3,154 hits. Though he reached 30 homers only once, he led the league in slugging three times – a testament to his ability to drive the ball for doubles and triples. He even made himself into a good enough defender to win a Gold Glove. He and Bret Saberhagen carried an otherwise pedestrian 1985 Royals team to a World Series title. less

Kansas City Royals – George Brett

An even easier call than Al Kaline with the Tigers. Brett, left, was such a pure, professional hitter who had a .305 career average, three batting titles and 3,154 hits. ... more

Photo: Walter Looss Jr., Sports Illustrated

Kansas City Royals &#x2013; George Brett An even easier... Photo-1180482.16492 - Houston Chronicle

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Los Angeles Angels

– Nolan Ryan The pride of Alvin (though a native of Refugio) launched his career during eight seasons with the Angels, going 138-121 with a 3.07 ERA and seven strikeout titles from 1972-1979. Both of his 20-win seasons came as an Angel. He wound up with 324 wins, along with two records it’s hard to fathom falling: 5,714 strikeouts and seven no-hitters. less

Los Angeles Angels – Nolan Ryan

The pride of Alvin (though a native of Refugio) launched his career during eight seasons with the Angels, going 138-121 with a 3.07 ERA and seven strikeout titles from ... more

– Sandy Koufax Until the recent death of Duke Snider, this could have been a spirited debate. Do you go with the transcendent pitcher who had a short shelf life (165-87 career record with a 2.76 ERA) or a Hall of Fame center fielder (Duke Snider) who played third fiddle to Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle during his prime? A quick review of Koufax’s final five seasons: 111-34, 1.95 ERA, .192 batting average allowed, 1,444 strikeouts in 1337 innings pitched. Remember, too, that the shutout Koufax threw against the Twins in Game 7 of the 1965 World Series came on two days’ rest. less

Los Angeles Dodgers – Sandy Koufax

Until the recent death of Duke Snider, this could have been a spirited debate. Do you go with the transcendent pitcher who had a short shelf life (165-87 career record ... more

– Robin Yount Strange, but true: 3,142 hits, two MVP awards and only three All-Star appearances. Yount won the 1989 MVP without making the All-Star team, in fact. An elite shortstop who became an everyday player at 18, Yount moved to center field after his 11th season because of an arm injury. He was a lock to put up something along the lines of .285, 14 homers, 80 RBI, 90-100 runs to scored back when those were upper-crust numbers. Paul Molitor (3,319 hits, .306 average, 504 stolen bases) actually makes this a closer call than most people would think. less

Milwaukee Brewers – Robin Yount

Strange, but true: 3,142 hits, two MVP awards and only three All-Star appearances. Yount won the 1989 MVP without making the All-Star team, in fact. An elite shortstop who ... more

– Rod Carew One of the toughest debates of all, because it boils down to Carew vs. another player, Harmon Killebrew, who couldn’t be more different. Carew was a speedy spray hitter, Killebrew a lumbering slugger. Carew won seven batting titles, Killebrew six home run titles. Carew made the All-Star team his first 17 seasons and won an MVP. Killebrew had 12 All-Star seasons and won one MVP. Carew was in the top five of the MVP voting three times, Killebrew six. As hard as it is to pass on Killebrew’s 573 home runs, Killebrew generated about the same amount of offense in a different manner. What puts Carew over the top is his superior speed and defense. He was by no means a Gold Glover, but he cut it at second base long enough to make 1,071 starts at that position. And a guy who can bat .328, post a .393 on-base percentage and steal a base (353 for his career) as a second baseman is a huge difference-maker. less

Minnesota Twins – Rod Carew

One of the toughest debates of all, because it boils down to Carew vs. another player, Harmon Killebrew, who couldn’t be more different. Carew was a speedy spray ... more

– Tom Seaver Dwight Gooden and Daryl Strawberry had flashier talent, but Seaver had supreme temperament, intelligence and discipline. And Seaver didn’t exactly get shorted on the talent front, either. He won three Cy Youngs and led the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts three times. Here’s an example of how good Seaver was: His 25-7, 2.21 ERA for the 1969 Miracle Mets was arguably his third-best seasonal performance. Seaver ranks among the top 20 all time in wins (311), innings (4,783) and strikeouts (3,640). less

New York Mets – Tom Seaver

Dwight Gooden and Daryl Strawberry had flashier talent, but Seaver had supreme temperament, intelligence and discipline. And Seaver didn’t exactly get shorted on the ... more

– Yogi Berra Talk about a franchise with some heated competition. Derek Jeter is the quintessential Yankee of the new age, with five World Series rings. He’s 79 hits from becoming the first Yankee to reach 3,000, and he has four top-five finishes in the MVP voting. Now get this: Berra won 10 World Series and three MVPs. That’s right, Berra won as many MVPs as Mickey Mantle. less

New York Yankees – Yogi Berra

Talk about a franchise with some heated competition. Derek Jeter is the quintessential Yankee of the new age, with five World Series rings. He’s 79 hits from becoming ... more

– Reggie Jackson Strange thing about the brash slugger who predicted he’d have a candy bar named after him if he played in New York – and was right. During his playing days, Jackson was so flamboyant and publicized that he was probably a little overrated. Over time, though, Jackson has become a bit overrated on the all-time scheme of things – trivialized, almost, into a one-trick October pony. Jackson bashed 563 home runs during a time that was some truly heavy lifting, and he won four home run titles and led the league in on-base-plus slugging four times. He won one MVP and arguably could have had at least three, and he was the straw that stirred up five World Series champions. And in the front half of his career, at least, he was a plus defender who could steal a base. The sabermetric community will clamor for Rickey Henderson, and if you believe WAR is an unassailable stat, then he’s the clear choice. And he’d be a good choice, just not the right one. Because few players in history left their fingerprints all over an era – especially in the games that mattered the most – the way Reggie did. less

Oakland A’s – Reggie Jackson

Strange thing about the brash slugger who predicted he’d have a candy bar named after him if he played in New York – and was right. During his playing ... more

– Mike Schmidt Though Schmidt won eight home run titles and three MVPs and is the greatest third baseman in history, he was often booed in his home city. Schmidt was a Gold Glove third baseman who clobbered 548 homers and was MVP the year (1980) the Phillies finally won a World Series. Give Schmidt credit, too, for one of baseball’s classic quotes: “Philadelphia is the only city where you can experience the thrill of victory and the agony of reading about it the next day.” Apologies to Steve Carlton (329 wins, 4,136 strikeouts, four Cy Youngs.) less

Philadelphia Phillies – Mike Schmidt

Though Schmidt won eight home run titles and three MVPs and is the greatest third baseman in history, he was often booed in his home city. Schmidt was a Gold Glove ... more

– Barry Bonds Before San Francisco, before Balco, before the growing head and the rippling biceps, he was a lithe, athletic, supernaturally skilled Pirate. Bonds won two MVP awards as a Pirate and got jobbed out of the third when the voters decide to throw Terry Pendleton a bone for having a career year in 1991. Before Balco, Bonds had become such a great all-around player, he was building a compelling case for having surpassed Ted Williams as the greatest left fielder in history. Bonds set all kinds of records going the route he did, but I liked the other version of him better. less

Pittsburgh Pirates – Barry Bonds

Before San Francisco, before Balco, before the growing head and the rippling biceps, he was a lithe, athletic, supernaturally skilled Pirate. Bonds won two MVP awards as ... more

– Tony Gwynn Here’s one of those happy circumstances where Mr. Franchise and the best player are one and the same. Dave Winfield was the consummate specimen, but Gwynn was a supremely skilled hitter who was a better athlete than people tend to remember because of his losing battle with the bulge on the back end of his career. On top of eight batting titles and 3,141 hits, Gwynn amassed five Gold Gloves and 319 stolen bases. And sure it counts for something that he was as good of an ambassador for the game as he was a player. less

San Diego Padres – Tony Gwynn

Here’s one of those happy circumstances where Mr. Franchise and the best player are one and the same. Dave Winfield was the consummate specimen, but Gwynn was a ... more